1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for scoring athletic events and, more particularly, is concerned with a portable scoreboard system having motion sensing capability for providing protection against theft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many sporting events involve keeping a score between opponents. Children and adults participate in a variety of athletic activities where a score is kept but is not displayed for all participants and spectators to view. A scoreboard is a means by which everyone can view the score of an event. As is the case with many organized sporting events at the collegiate and professional level, the scoreboard can be an integral part of the activity. Scoreboards, however, can be cumbersome and therefore difficult to move from place to place. For this reason, various portable scoreboards have been developed over the years for use at sporting events where a score would not otherwise be displayed.
Representative examples of portable scoreboards and the like are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,215 to Payne, U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,357 to Presnick et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,213 to Kurtenbach, U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,002 to Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,788 to Castelli et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,855 to Salvo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,372 to Zevgolis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,736 to Beierwaltes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,913 to Mower et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,422 to Martin. While these prior art scoreboards appear to be satisfactory in use for the specific purposes for which they were designed, portability has created a new problem in that a portable scoreboard may be easily stolen. None of the prior art scoreboards appear to have specific features which are designed toward preventing theft of the scoreboard.
Consequently, a need still exists for a portable scoreboard which overcomes the aforementioned need by being adapted to aid in the prevention of theft of the scoreboard and by doing so without introducing any new problems in place thereof.